MLB Popularity Decline

[Dogchomp]

Recently the talking heads at ESPN have said MLB has evolved into a "regional" sport, popularity wise.

A. Do y'all think that label is true/fair?

B. Why do y'all think it's popularity has declined nationally?

C. Got any solutions to fix the problem?

*didn't want to spam the first post with my theories

[msstate7]

For me it's very much regional. I watch the braves every night and keep up with the nationals bc of division race. I can't get into other games.

I have no idea what would change this for myself so I have no solution

[PassInterference]

162 regular season games. Baseball is the slowest moving, most boring of all team sports.

So...162 games? It's like they said how can we make this even more boring?

More seriously, I think the MLB schedule is calendar filler. The filled up as much seasonal weather as they could. Crammed in as many games as possible in that timeframe.

So any given single game is pretty much meaningless. Why should meaningless interest me?

An axiom of show business and entertainment is to leave the audience wanting more. Stop short of giving them all they want to see so they'll want to see you again. Pretty much the opposite of baseball.

[Bully13]

I used to be a HUGE MLB fan. I went to a lot of Jackson Mets games. watched Davey Johnson coach us to back to back Texas League Championships. does anybody remember that bench clearing brawl vs the Ark Travelers (Cardinal AA club?)? I was there that night. after the brawl, I was sitting next to the Traveler's dugout. struck up a friendly conversation with Pat Perry. Pitcher that made it to St. Louis eventually and was later traded to the Cubs. He and 2 other team mates were looking for a way to get out and party instead of the hotel. I was the man with the car. we went out, got drunk, partied our asses off at a club and I got free krystal burgers before I dropped them off eventually at their hotel.

that Mets team for a few years in Jackson was un 17ing belivable. I'd never personally seen a prettier swing in person than Strawberry's. witnessing Clark's swing in Vegas is the only thing I've seen in person that compares. that team had Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, Rick Aguilera, Bob Oheda, Wally Backman, Kevin Wilson, I know I'm leaving out a few others that were basically shipped straight from Jackson to Queens that would eventually win the '86 world series with Johnson at the helm. the only superstars on that '86 team that I know didn't play in Jackson were Doc Gooden, Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter. I know I maybe I've missed a player or two. who was that 3rd baseman who punched Ken Griffey?

at any rate, my Dad fortunately knew an assistant coach for the Jxn mets who got us game 7 tickets (if it went that far). Can you imagine what I was going through at game 6 watching at the blarney stone in manahattan? it was the most unbelievable sporting event I've ever experienced outside being the first fan to reach the pile of humanity at the goaline when we beat the bear in Jackson.

My MLB fandom was at an all time high after witnessing my Mets win in '86. But it has waned enormously over the years. bigtime. the strike took a big time toll on my interest in MLB. I can't really explain it. I was not even pumped for the subway series. maybe once you've experienced the ultimate utopia that will never return, it just starts to fade away.

If you asked me right now, I couldn't even tell you who the head coach was for the mets or even one position player.

[Reason2succeed]

Too many games and not enough stars. Baseball just started pushing their players in the media like they do in other sports.

Right now there is NO street cred for playing baseball. Rashun Dixon just got back from playing baseball and he is probably getting more love for being a walkon on the college football team than he got for being a paid professional player. That's bananas. He was getting paid very well.

I'm not sure how you fix it but one way may be the Tiger effect. You need a star that kids can relate to better. Tell their story and how baseball was a pathway for a better life. Then people must see them live the better life. Baseball players are too busy to been seen anywhere but at the game. (You see that nice circular answer. I ended where I began.)

[Dawg61]

I am a baseball fan and I see nothing wrong with baseball and don't believe it's in a popularity decline. Teams have more money than ever and are signing unprecedented cable contracts right now. Somebody is watching. A lot of somebodies. The good teams sell out and have great followings. Just look at a couple of the posters on this board. 7 for example. He never misses a game or any news involving the Braves. Now 7 is a terrific fan but how many 7's are there spread out throughout the south? A bunch. Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Giants, Cards, Cubs, Reds, Orioles, Tigers, Indians, Royals, A's, Rangers, Angels, Phillies, Nats, Mets all have great fans and very passionate fans. Only a few teams struggle with attendance really and that is because they are bad. As soon as those teams start winning you'll see their stadiums fill up. Baseball is a beautiful sport and when you are a fan it is an experience like no other to follow a team closely and pay attention to all 162 games. It is a marathon of entertainment not a sprint. Too often people complain because they want instant gratification as a fan. They want touchdowns and dunks and easy stuff to cheer for. I promise you it is more gratifying as a fan to stick with a team and really follow the struggle that is the MLB season. It is awesome. Baseball is awesome!! Those of us that follow it don't want it changed one bit and most don't even like the small changes that they keep trying to do. If you don't follow it that is fine but please don't try to pull it down or put it down because you don't personally "get it".

[ShotgunDawg]

I don't think people like baseball less as much as, with the access to hundreds of channels nowadays and numerous of options of watching different sports and movies at the same time, baseball now has more competition for viewership.

Before 10 years ago, the average American household may have normal TV channels, plus WGN and TBS, and MLB was the only sport on most nights. America still loves baseball, but baseball now has more competition for viewership, which has naturally made it a harder sport to follow.

All this being said, baseball is very popular in MLB cities, and I think sometimes Mississippians lose sight of that.

[smootness]

People have essentially said all these things already, but baseball is the perfect sport to come home, relax, turn on the TV, and just kind of chill with. People are doing much less of that than they ever have.

People now generally want their entertainment either flexible, in that they can watch it whenever and wherever they want (tough to tape a baseball game and watch it later) or they want it as must-see, appointment viewing. It's tough to have that when you have so many games and each one individually doesn't mean much.

Football is great because it only comes on the weekends (pretty much) and you can easily carve out 2-3 hours for it; and you can even start it late to fast forward through commercials and halftime. It's once a week for your team, and it's easy to get yourself pumped up for it; it's the same reason fantasy football is so much more popular than any other fantasy sport.

Baseball, you generally watch either all the time or never. Fewer and fewer people want to, or are able, to watch it all the time.

[messageboardsuperhero]

I am a baseball fan and I see nothing wrong with baseball and don't believe it's in a popularity decline. Teams have more money than ever and are signing unprecedented cable contracts right now. Somebody is watching. A lot of somebodies. The good teams sell out and have great followings. Just look at a couple of the posters on this board. 7 for example. He never misses a game or any news involving the Braves. Now 7 is a terrific fan but how many 7's are there spread out throughout the south? A bunch. Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Giants, Cards, Cubs, Reds, Orioles, Tigers, Indians, Royals, A's, Rangers, Angels, Phillies, Nats, Mets all have great fans and very passionate fans. Only a few teams struggle with attendance really and that is because they are bad. As soon as those teams start winning you'll see their stadiums fill up. Baseball is a beautiful sport and when you are a fan it is an experience like no other to follow a team closely and pay attention to all 162 games. It is a marathon of entertainment not a sprint. Too often people complain because they want instant gratification as a fan. They want touchdowns and dunks and easy stuff to cheer for. I promise you it is more gratifying as a fan to stick with a team and really follow the struggle that is the MLB season. It is awesome. Baseball is awesome!! Those of us that follow it don't want it changed one bit and most don't even like the small changes that they keep trying to do. If you don't follow it that is fine but please don't try to pull it down or put it down because you don't personally "get it".

Spot on. Watching the guys play every day, following all the roster changes/call ups from game to game, experiencing the ups and downs of a season throughout the course of an entire summer, etc. At the end of the day, you really feel a connection to the players on the team and are apart of all of it with them.

It's a lot of fun, and really a good way to spend some down time during the summer.

[msstate7]

People have essentially said all these things already, but baseball is the perfect sport to come home, relax, turn on the TV, and just kind of chill with. People are doing much less of that than they ever have.

People now generally want their entertainment either flexible, in that they can watch it whenever and wherever they want (tough to tape a baseball game and watch it later) or they want it as must-see, appointment viewing. It's tough to have that when you have so many games and each one individually doesn't mean much.

Football is great because it only comes on the weekends (pretty much) and you can easily carve out 2-3 hours for it; and you can even start it late to fast forward through commercials and halftime. It's once a week for your team, and it's easy to get yourself pumped up for it; it's the same reason fantasy football is so much more popular than any other fantasy sport.

Baseball, you generally watch either all the time or never. Fewer and fewer people want to, or are able, to watch it all the time.

Glad you can chill to baseball. It's driving me f'n crazy right now. (Haha)

[smootness]

Glad you can chill to baseball. It's driving me f'n crazy right now. (Haha)

Haha, I can chill with it right now because I'm in one of those 'I'm not really paying attention' modes. They happen at least a couple times a season. Everything just becomes grating to me. Just hearing Chip and Joe's voices, or Jim Powell, makes me want to grind my teeth down and punch a baby.

The extra long season definitely wears on me. I can watch Heyward, Freeman, JUp, and Simmons any time, but even the other players start to just annoy me when I see them on the screen. It's a problem haha.

But it won't last forever. Once I've kind of chilled for a while and the Braves start winning again, I'll start watching every night again. It's just depressing right now on top of the annoyance, so I'm just not really watching.

[Todd4State]

Recently the talking heads at ESPN have said MLB has evolved into a "regional" sport, popularity wise.

A. Do y'all think that label is true/fair?

B. Why do y'all think it's popularity has declined nationally?

C. Got any solutions to fix the problem?

*didn't want to spam the first post with my theories

A. No, I don't think it's fair. What region is ESPN talking about? The New York/Boston area? Midwest? The South during college baseball season?

B. Because ESPN says it has and they are the groupthink network. ESPN for whatever reason wants MLB to be about the Yankees and Red Sox every year. And if those two teams aren't competing for the pennant, then "baseball is declining" to ESPN. ESPN is for your casual sports fan that doesn't really know a whole lot about sports. They give you the scores, a few sob stories for the women, and a bunch of loud mouth "entertainers" who say incredibly illogical things (Skip Bayless) to make the casual fan feel smarter about sports. Networks like MLB Network and NFL Network, etc. are for the people that are really into it and understand the sport and actually want to learn more and get more out of it.

C. Have MLB get a TV contract to show the postseason and World Series on ESPN and then all of a sudden I bet baseball is going to get real popular again.

[Todd4State]

I don't think people like baseball less as much as, with the access to hundreds of channels nowadays and numerous of options of watching different sports and movies at the same time, baseball now has more competition for viewership.

Before 10 years ago, the average American household may have normal TV channels, plus WGN and TBS, and MLB was the only sport on most nights. America still loves baseball, but baseball now has more competition for viewership, which has naturally made it a harder sport to follow.

All this being said, baseball is very popular in MLB cities, and I think sometimes Mississippians lose sight of that.

THIS. We're in the middle of Atlanta, St. Louis, Houston, and Dallas all about 6-8 hours away. Going to watch a MLB game is a journey for all of us. I think that's one reason why college baseball is so popular here.

It's also so easy to follow MLB with twitter, live stats, etc. You can keep up with a game in real time while doing something else very easily now.

[Pioneer Dawg]

Sign up for DraftKings. Start playing the daily fantasy baseball. Get a friend's MLB.tv login. Wanna get excitement into watching games, here's your chance. I just thought I enjoyed watching for our famous fantasy league. This is that on crack. You will become addicted to the game. Period. It's a thrill every night. 4 games on at once, nonstop.

Sign up 61.

[Offshore Dawg]

The working family has been priced out of game attendance. I go to as many Dawg games on campus as I can. But I have no interest in adding to the bank accounts of a bunch of over paid primadonnas that play a child's game and call it professional ball.

[Political Hack]

I attend more minor league games now than MLB. More cost efficient, more kid friendly parks, easier in and out, and closer and better seats. MLB thinks they an charge people to come watch Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, but those guys don't exist anymore. The regionalization of team stars has localized the game and there are no more massive, larger-than-human, stars in MLB anymore. Guys like Puig aren't households name anymore, but everyone in the world knows who Lebron James is. I bet my wife can name more NBA players than she can MLB players even though she goes to MLB and minor league games regularly and I watch 100 times more mlb action than NBA action. I can't really explain how, but it's got to be the exposure. Too many teams, too many games, too long a season.

[dawgman]

Recently the talking heads at ESPN have said MLB has evolved into a "regional" sport, popularity wise.

A. Do y'all think that label is true/fair?

B. Why do y'all think it's popularity has declined nationally?

C. Got any solutions to fix the problem?

*didn't want to spam the first post with my theories

1994 strike. The ones old enough to remember it as adults lost interest and therefore didn't raise children with an interest.

[Dawg61]

Sign up for DraftKings. Start playing the daily fantasy baseball. Get a friend's MLB.tv login. Wanna get excitement into watching games, here's your chance. I just thought I enjoyed watching for our famous fantasy league. This is that on crack. You will become addicted to the game. Period. It's a thrill every night. 4 games on at once, nonstop.

Sign up 61.

I'll check it out, thanks

[shoeless joe]

As a kid I was an absolute baseball junkie. There was no one around that knew more random baseball stuff. If I wasn't watching a braves game I was playing at the park, in the neighborhood, throwing a tennis ball against a wall, or playing RBI 3 on Nintendo. Baseball season was like 162 days of Christmas to me.

That began to change when I started coaching for a livin. I still love the game but my fandom has changed. During the spring I don't have much time to keep up with anything MLB. takes a lot of effort to keep up with state baseball. Then during the summer I seem to do have more interest than a 6 pm appointment with chip and joe every nite. I still watch a couple games a week, although this team is painful to follow. I guess being so invested in the game as a job causes me to be less invested in an MLB team and be the fan I used to be.

Plus as I've gotten older hunting, fishing, college football, and the kids take more of a central spotlight. However, I do still find it highly enjoyable to chill out and watch a west coast game late nite without a rooting interest just to see the inner workings of the game.

[Chinchilla]

I think it seems less popular when in reality it's not.

The reason for this is because now that fans have the ability to watch all 162 of their team's games, very few of them are going to have any time left over to watch a "game of the week" between two random teams. Therefore, baseball fans are never all watching the same game, so it doesn't feel nearly as popular. It's still very popular, but in a different way. If that's what they mean by "regional," then I completely agree.

[civildawg]

I think it's less popular for sure and that's because it is long, boring and they play 162 games. They should cut the number of games in half. People today like offense and a lot of it in a quick amount of time. Baseball doesn't have either. I think it will end up like the nhl before too long

[Todd4State]

I attend more minor league games now than MLB. More cost efficient, more kid friendly parks, easier in and out, and closer and better seats. MLB thinks they an charge people to come watch Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, but those guys don't exist anymore. The regionalization of team stars has localized the game and there are no more massive, larger-than-human, stars in MLB anymore. Guys like Puig aren't households name anymore, but everyone in the world knows who Lebron James is. I bet my wife can name more NBA players than she can MLB players even though she goes to MLB and minor league games regularly and I watch 100 times more mlb action than NBA action. I can't really explain how, but it's got to be the exposure. Too many teams, too many games, too long a season.

That's because of what basketball has done internationally. The Dream Team, pros in the Olympics, and just doing a better job of promoting the game world wide.

That's why I want baseball to focus more on international markets than they have in the past- which before was pretty much the Carribbean and Japan. That's why baseball needs to make a major push to be in the Olympics and why MLB needs to start sending the best American players to the World Baseball Classic. International tournaments is where you make your name world wide. Nobody wants to watch R.A. Dickey fire 65 MPH knuckleballs in the WBC.

MLB needs to put together their own dream team led by Trout and Harper.

[shoeless joe]

That's because of what basketball has done internationally. The Dream Team, pros in the Olympics, and just doing a better job of promoting the game world wide.

That's why I want baseball to focus more on international markets than they have in the past- which before was pretty much the Carribbean and Japan. That's why baseball needs to make a major push to be in the Olympics and why MLB needs to start sending the best American players to the World Baseball Classic. International tournaments is where you make your name world wide. Nobody wants to watch R.A. Dickey fire 65 MPH knuckleballs in the WBC.

MLB needs to put together their own dream team led by Trout and Harper.


If Harper was on the team I wouldn't call it the "dream team".

[messageboardsuperhero]

That's because of what basketball has done internationally. The Dream Team, pros in the Olympics, and just doing a better job of promoting the game world wide.

That's why I want baseball to focus more on international markets than they have in the past- which before was pretty much the Carribbean and Japan. That's why baseball needs to make a major push to be in the Olympics and why MLB needs to start sending the best American players to the World Baseball Classic. International tournaments is where you make your name world wide. Nobody wants to watch R.A. Dickey fire 65 MPH knuckleballs in the WBC.

MLB needs to put together their own dream team led by Trout and Harper.

This is part of it. When you watch the US Olympic basketball team, it's Lebron, Kobe, Durant, etc. When you watch the World Baseball Classic, we are led by RA Dickey as our ace. It just makes me sick.

And I agree with whoever said that it just seems less popular. Local TV deals have made being a fan more regional- that doesn't necessarily mean there are fewer fans overall.

[Dawg61]

C Buster Posey/Jon Lucroy/Devin Mesoraco
1b Paul Goldschmidt/Freddie Freeman/Matt Adams
2b Dustin Pedroia/Brian Dozier/Ian Kinsler
SS Troy Tulo/Dee Gordon/Ian Desmond
3B Josh Donaldson/Todd Frazier/Anthony Rendon
LF Ryan Braun/Jacoby Ellsbury/Matt Kemp
CF Adam Jones/Billy Hamilton/Andrew McCutcheon
RF Giancarlo Stanton/Hunter Pence/Bryce Harper

SP Kershaw/Bumgarner/Lester/Scherzer/Price

Yea I think we'd do ok

[Todd4State]

If Harper was on the team I wouldn't call it the "dream team".

You may not like him, but he's one of the best in the game right now.

[Martianlander]

I used to be a HUGE MLB fan. I went to a lot of Jackson Mets games. watched Davey Johnson coach us to back to back Texas League Championships. does anybody remember that bench clearing brawl vs the Ark Travelers (Cardinal AA club?)? I was there that night. after the brawl, I was sitting next to the Traveler's dugout. struck up a friendly conversation with Pat Perry. Pitcher that made it to St. Louis eventually and was later traded to the Cubs. He and 2 other team mates were looking for a way to get out and party instead of the hotel. I was the man with the car. we went out, got drunk, partied our asses off at a club and I got free krystal burgers before I dropped them off eventually at their hotel.

that Mets team for a few years in Jackson was un 17ing belivable. I'd never personally seen a prettier swing in person than Strawberry's. witnessing Clark's swing in Vegas is the only thing I've seen in person that compares. that team had Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, Rick Aguilera, Bob Oheda, Wally Backman, Kevin Wilson, I know I'm leaving out a few others that were basically shipped straight from Jackson to Queens that would eventually win the '86 world series with Johnson at the helm. the only superstars on that '86 team that I know didn't play in Jackson were Doc Gooden, Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter. I know I maybe I've missed a player or two. who was that 3rd baseman who punched Ken Griffey?

at any rate, my Dad fortunately knew an assistant coach for the Jxn mets who got us game 7 tickets (if it went that far). Can you imagine what I was going through at game 6 watching at the blarney stone in manahattan? it was the most unbelievable sporting event I've ever experienced outside being the first fan to reach the pile of humanity at the goaline when we beat the bear in Jackson.

My MLB fandom was at an all time high after witnessing my Mets win in '86. But it has waned enormously over the years. bigtime. the strike took a big time toll on my interest in MLB. I can't really explain it. I was not even pumped for the subway series. maybe once you've experienced the ultimate utopia that will never return, it just starts to fade away.

If you asked me right now, I couldn't even tell you who the head coach was for the mets or even one position player.

Amazing-I could have almost written the same as above. Lived in Jackson at the time and attended a lot of Mets games. I was there the night Mookie Wilson got married at home plate before a game. I gave up on MLB when they went on strike right before the 94 World Series. Haven't followed it since.

[shoeless joe]

You may not like him, but he's one of the best in the game right now.

I'm really indifferent about him to be honest. He has all the tools but has yet to put it together consistently...be it for injuries or whatever.

If an actual 25 man roster was made out they would probably take a 5 man outfield. Take a look at 61's list just as an example. Is Harper in the top 5 of that group? No way...and I could argue the case for several others not on that list I would take ahead of him rite now. In 5 years? Maybe, but not rite now.

[smootness]

C Buster Posey/Jon Lucroy/Devin Mesoraco
1b Paul Goldschmidt/Freddie Freeman/Matt Adams
2b Dustin Pedroia/Brian Dozier/Ian Kinsler
SS Troy Tulo/Dee Gordon/Ian Desmond
3B Josh Donaldson/Todd Frazier/Anthony Rendon
LF Ryan Braun/Jacoby Ellsbury/Matt Kemp
CF Adam Jones/Billy Hamilton/Andrew McCutcheon
RF Giancarlo Stanton/Hunter Pence/Bryce Harper

SP Kershaw/Bumgarner/Lester/Scherzer/Price

Yea I think we'd do ok

Adam Wainwright?
Chris Sale?

Mike....Trout?

[Smitty]

You may not like him, but he's one of the best in the game right now.

Don't think Harper would make a USA roster right now.

[Dawg61]

Adam Wainwright?
Chris Sale?

Mike....Trout?

Trout I originally had and forgot to put back on, honest error and pitchers it doesn't really matter after Kershaw and the other 4 on there but yes Waino and Sale would make it too

[smootness]

Trout I originally had and forgot to put back on, honest error and pitchers it doesn't really matter after Kershaw and the other 4 on there but yes Waino and Sale would make it too

I'm saying that Wainwright and Sale would definitely make it over several you have listed. They would be 2 and 3 for me behind Kershaw.